Michael Keaton's film career took off when he was cast as crime-fighting playboy Bruce Wayne in the hugely successful Batman film franchise. Because his prior work was largely comedic at the time, fans of the Batman franchise were doubtful of Keaton's ability to successfully portray the caped crusader. However these critics as well as other less biased moviegoers would be in for a shock when the handsome actor pulled off the part splendidly. Keaton's performance in 1989 gave him the credibility needed to once again nab the part in the 2005 sequel, titled Batman Returns.

Fresh off his first appearance in Batman, Keaton would go on to star in a string of films covering different genres throughout the 90's. Some of his more notable roles during this time period can be seen in the films Much Ado About Nothing (1993), The Paper (1994), Multiplicity (1996), Jackie Brown (1997) and Desperate Measures (1998).

In 2010, Michael Keaton voiced the character of Ken in Pixar's animated adventure tale Toy Story 3. On top of receiving overwhelmingly positive acclaim, the movie grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the most financially successful films ever. Keaton also had a minor role in the 2010 hit comedy The Other Guys, acting as Captain Gene Mauch alongside Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg.